The V-League 2008, or the Petro Viet Nam Gas Cup 2008, kicked off yesterday with its first seven qualification matches. The results did not surprise the viewers much.
The HNA quickly took the lead thanks to a penalty kick by Thanh Luong in the 30th minute. However, the HPHN soon evened the score thanks to a mistake by HNA’s goalkeeper Viet Cuong.
At the 42nd minute, after blocking a free kick from Van Vinh, Cuong made a bad pass to HPHN’s Eduadro and Eduadro immediately blew Cuong away to leave the match tied at 1-1.
Spectators seemed more interested in the second match, between Southern Steel-Saigon Port (SSSP) and Halida Thanh Hoa (HTH).
As predicted, a landslide 3-0 victory went to SSSP, mostly thanks to the efforts of its newcomers.
SSSP’s Chi Thang delivered a perfect pass to John Wole in the 27th minute, and Wole promptly volleyed it into HTH’s goal.
Another two goals were then scored for SSSP, first in a penalty shoot-out by striker Trindade and then via a close pass to Cao Tung A Vi in the last minutes of the second half.
Spectators had a chance to meet the Viet Nam’s most outstanding male footballer, Cong Vinh, and watch him in the match between the Pijico Song Lam Nghe An (PSLNA) and the Khataco Khanh Hoa (KKH).
The match was also considered a revenge grudge for PSLNA, who suffered a big loss to KKH in the 11th National U-21 Football Championships-Thanh Nien Newspaper Cup in 2007.
PSLNA strengthened their attack and scored in the 10th minute via a volley by Cong Vinh.
KKH scored only once, in the 49th minute, due to a mistake by PSLNA’s goalkeeper, Duc Anh and the game ended at 2-1 for PSLNA.
A match between Becamex Binh Duong (BBD) and The Cong Viettel (TCV) ended in 1-0 victory for TCV.
Hai Phong Cement triumphed over their Saigon-Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB) Dang Nang in a 2-1 victory.
A match between Boss Binh Dinh and Nam Dinh finished with no goals. The match between Dong Tam Long An and Hoang Anh Gia Lai was suspended due to a electrical accident.
